HIGH LIFE : The First-Name Game: Like Yours or Want to Change It?

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet.”

--William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

Chances are, you had nothing to say in the matter when your parents chose your name. But now, given a second chance, Hot Topics wonders: “If you could change your first name, what would you change it to? Why?”

“Ashly, because I really admire that name. Someone on ‘The Young and the Restless’ has the name Ashly. Ever since I heard it, I’ve loved it.”

Angel Rodrigez 16, sophomore, Bethel Baptist

“Jamie, because my brother’s name starts with a J, my cousins’ names start with J and the names of some of my other relatives start with J. I just think my parents should have named me Jamie.”

Amie McCutcheon, 15, freshman, Bethel Baptist

“Dawn, because Jennifer is such a common name.”

Jennifer Cantrell, 15, freshman, Bethel Baptist

“Roger, after the character Roger Rabbit.”

Erick Justiniani, 15, freshman, Bethel Baptist

“I would want to keep the name I have now because I was named after both my grandmothers. One was named Eleanor and the other is Helen, so my parents came up with Ellen.”

Ellen Sykes, 17, junior, Brea-Olinda

“Michelle, because I’m French and I’d like to have a French name.”

Monique Rowe, 16, sophomore, Cypress

“Lisa Rae, because it’s my pseudonym.”

Christi May Flauding, 18, senior, Cypress

“Rio, Capri, Jordan, Seneca or any name that’s different.”

Blythe Latimer, 15, sophomore, Cypress

“Bugs, because he is my favorite cartoon character.”

Steve Ogdon, 17, senior, Esperanza

“Napoleon, because he was a great man and so am I.”

Allan Wu, 14, freshman, Esperanza

“Danny, because it attracts girls.”

Danh Nguyen, 15, freshman, Estancia

“Jeff, because it is brief and it sounds cool.”

Jason Fagan, 17, senior, Estancia

“Ringo, because the way it rhymes with my last name would bring me immediate stardom.”

Derek Weingo, 17, junior, Foothill

“Sebastian, because I idolize Bach.”

Mike Vigna, 15, freshman, Foothill

“Ryan, because no one can say my first name the first time they see it.”

Adi-Kent Delfin, 17, junior, Laguna Hills

“Cassandra, because my middle name is Marie and everyone calls me Donnie and Marie.”

Dawn Marie Piscitelli, 18, senior, Laguna Hills

“I already changed my name from Shin to Stan.”

Stan Kim, 16, junior, Orange

“I was named after an Alfred Hitchcock movie about a psychotic killer, and I get all of these stupid nicknames. I’d change my name to anything simple, or maybe European, like Monique. Indian names interest me, too.”

Marni Eton, 18, senior, Orange

“Conan, because it is a forceful name which contains power.”

Thomas Kachani, 17, junior, San Clemente

“I wouldn’t want to change my name because Pinky is a unique name.”

Pinky Catacutan, 17, senior, Santa Ana

“Ashley Lauren, because I like the ring of it.”

Kelly Jahnig, 17, senior, Tustin

“Sheryl, because people always mispronounce my name.”

Leilani Reyes, 16, sophomore, Western

“Roy, because it’s easier to spell, pronounce and remember.”

Nith Sisombath, 15, sophomore, Western

Next Week’s Hot Topic:

What causes you to lose your temper?

Hot Topic responses gathered by Joanna Brooks, Angela Conner, Roxane Dyrud, Lynda Kim, Jooyoung Lee, Steve Lee, Monica Neal, Heather Orey, Hai Pham, Gabriel Saldivar, Cindy Shaver and Edward White.